[Infectious disease screening of asylum seekers and refugees in Switzerland].

Abstract

The number of asylum seekers and refugees in Switzerland has increased over the past 20 years, many of whom come from countries where the epidemiology of infectious diseases is different from that of Switzerland. In this review, we discuss the considerations taken into account when deciding which diseases to screen for in asylum seekers and refugees, and compare the strategies proposed by different countries. An overview of the epidemiology, clinical presentation, screening methods, and treatment strategies is provided for HIV, tuberculosis, hepatitis B and C, strongyloidiasis, schistosomiasis, Chagas disease, soil-transmitted helminth infections, and other sexually transmitted infections.